Shoe counter mold



Sept. 8, 1936. 3 H AR 2,053,352

SHOE COUNTER MOLD Filed Dec. 13, 1933 Ai MazMZ/iwfl Patented Sept. 8, 1936- UNETED STATES PATENT orties SHOE COUNTER MOLD field, Mass.

Application December 13, 1933, Serial No. 702,223

' 2 Claims.

This invention relates to instruments for molding counter stiiT-eners, (commonly called counters in the art), for boots and shoes. Its purpose is to prevent the formation of a sharp ridge at the back of the counter in the course of molding. In carrying this invention into effect I use molds of the same general type and character as have long been, and are now, generally used for the purpose; i. e., a two part external mold and an inner mold or plug. The division between the parts of the outer mold is at the deepest point of the space or cavity between them. This is'at the back of the molded counter, and at the point where the curvature thereof is the sharpest. In operation the back part of the counter is liable to be nipped between the adjacent corners of the mold members when thelatter come together in exerting their molding pressure. Or it may be pressed by the plug mold into the space between them before the outer members have been closed together to the limit of their motion, or in case the extent of their motion is not sufficient to close the space between them at the cleavage plane. The result from either or both of these causes is a narrow outstanding ridge on the back of the counter, which may extend all the way from the flange to the top edge of the counter, or may be more or less limited to points adjacent to these upper and lower extremities.

Such a ridge is detrimental in shoe making, because it is located substantially in register with the seam at the back of the upper leather where, by reason of the scam, the upper leather has greater thickness. The joint effect of the ridge and seam is to cause an unsightly outward bulge at the rearmost point of the shoe. v

I have disclosed in a prior patent, No. 1,935,102, dated November 14, 1933, one means for avoiding the formation of the objectionable ridge referred to on molded shoe counters. The present invention comprises a different and improved means for accomplishing the same general object, involving a minimum of change in the previously existing molds.

Referring to the drawing,-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a set of counter molds embodying the present invention, and showing the open or separated position in which they are placed for insertion of unmolded, and removal of molded, counters;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of the central parts of the same molds closed together in the position for gripping and molding a counter;

Fig. 3 is a cross section of the mold assemblage and counter taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the outer mold members and of the cooperating intermediate ridge-preventing block;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a ridgepreventing block of somewhat difierent form from that shown in the preceding figures;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a shoe counter molded according to the practice wherein no means are provided to prevent forming the ob jectionable ridge;

Fig. 7 is a similar View of the rear part of a counter molded by the present improved instruments.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all thefigures.

The molded counter shown in Fig. 6 exhibits at a and b the ends of a ridge extending in the di rection from the bottom of the counter, (the part where the flange c is formed), to the top edge, caused by the counter material being nipped between the contiguous corners of the outer mold members. In the particular illustration here given, the ridge seems to vanish, or nearly so, about midway between the top and bottom of the counter, but in many instances a clearly defined ridge is produced throughout the entire height of the counter.

The ridge-preventing means of the present invention is'associated with molding instruments of the type long and commonly used; consisting of an inner mold d, commonly called a plug or last, and outer mold members e and 1 which together constitute a two part, or divided, mold. These elements are mounted in a machine of well known character, by which they may be separated, as shown in Fig. 1, for insertion of counter blanks and removal of the molded counters; and brought together as shown in Fig. 2 for compressing the blank and shaping it to the prescribed contours. While the blank is thus confined, with an edge g (Fig. 3) projecting from between the molds, a plate or presser is caused to travel across the outer faces of the molds and bend down such projecting edge to form the flange c.

The mold members e and J swing relatively to one another on an intermediate pivot pin it seated in substantially semicylindrical recesses 2 (Fig. l) in each member. The contiguous faces of the members adjacent to the pivot rod are inclined to permit the necessary angular movement of the members. Before my invention of ridge-preventing means, the practically universal practice was to extend these separation faces all the way to the molding surfaces, forming sharp plug mold, and squeeze this material into a ridge of greater or less depth.

I have obviated this possibility, according to the present invention, by providing a block 9' between the parts of the outer mold across the.

plane of cleavage between them, and making recesses k and Z in the mold members of suitable width to receive this block. The inner surface m of the block 5/ is a continuation of the surfaces n and o of the mold members when the latter are brought together in the position of Fig. 2, and its sides are fitted to the recesses k and Z accurately so that no cracks are left wide to permit extrusion of the substance of the counter by the pressure exerted through or on the plug mold cl. But the factor of greatest importance is that the angles 10 and q between the molding surfaces and the sides of the recesses 70 and Z are obtuse angles of such large degree that they have no tendency to. catch and nip the counter. Rather their tendency is to crowd and wedge the counter out of the intervening spaces when the mold members are closed in upon it.

The ridge-preventing block is held in place by a shank or stem s which is screwed into it at one end, and passes through a transverse hole in the pivot block. It occupies grooves t in the mold members and projects above the latter, having a head u pinned to its protruding end, between which and a washer v is confined a spring w. The spring permits such displacement of the block as is necessary to accommodate the pivotal movement of the mold members and withdraws the block fully into the recesses when the mold members are brought together, as is made clear by Figs. 1 and 2.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and'2 the block, and equally the recesses 7c and Z, are of rectangular outline. This is immaterial, however, as

the outer sides of the block and the contiguous sides of the recesses may have any desired contour. For example, Fig. 5 shows a corresponding block 1" and recesses k and Z of complemental cylindrical curvature. Although in this form the angles at p and q are considerably sharper than those at p and q, there is still no tendency to pinch the counter stock against the sideof the block. In swinging about the axis of the pivot pin, the corner projections travel at such an inclination to the adjacent corners of the block 7" as to tend to crowd the counter away rather than to pinch it.

The effect of the block 51 in conjunction with the other parts of the mold is to shape the counter with a perfectly smooth curvature at the back, as shown by Fig. 7; there being no external ridge whatever. 'And, as previously explained, no ridges are produced between the corners of the block and the contiguous corners of the mold members, for the reasons stated. This new eifect is accomplished with only such departure from the construction of the prior art molds as is involved in providing the recesses k: and Z to accommodate the intermediate block and the grooves t, t to contain the stem of the block.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. Counter molding means comprising an inner mold, twoouter mold members having abutting portions meeting one another substantially in the median line of the assemblage and each having a recess opening into the molding cavity between them and into the corresponding recess of the other member, a pivot pin between the members seated in both, a block formed to fit said recesses when the members are closed together, having a molding face which is then in smooth continuation with the molding faces of said members, and a shank or stem projecting from the block through the pivot pin and beyond the outer bounds of the mold members, having an abutment overlapping the outer bounding faces thereof,

2. Counter molding means as set forth in claim 1 and in which the abutment consists of a head on the end of the shank, and a spring interposed between such head and the nearest part of the mold members.

JOHN HAMMOND STEWART. 

